Automatic labeling machines



July 23, 1954 F. J. FALETTI Erm.v 3,142,605

AUTOMATIC LABELING MC-IINES Filed Nov. 1s, 1959 5 sheets-Sheet 1 3? '2X6 "li/ 2? .2 Il U .2z 'n 2 2 I7 l /2 i t I 36 f i "2 F/G. l

July 28, 1964 F. J. FALETT: ETAL I 3,142,605

AUTOMATIC LABELING MACHINES M NUT/4 I INVENTORS feoJ. FALer/ M0 July 28, 1964 F.J. FA| ETT1 ETAL v 3,142,605

AUTOMATIC LABELING MACHINES Filed NOV. 13, 1959 5 SheebSShf-Jet 3 July 2s,v 1964 AUTOMATICLABELING MACHINES Filed Nov. 13, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 F. J. FALET'n TAL i 3,142,605

AT 0mm July 28, 1964 F. J. FALETTl ErrAl. 3,142,605

AUTOMATIC LABELING MACHINES Filed Nov. 13, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheetl 5 United States Patent M 3,142,605 AUTMATIC LABELING MACHINES Fred J. Faletti, Decatur, and Clarence Edward Pittman,

Atlanta, Ga., assgnors to Miller Wrapping & Sealing Machine Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Nov. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 852,874 6 Claims. (Cl. 156-493) This invention, relates to labeling devices, and more specifically to a new and improved automatic machine for placing labels on pre-wrapped food packages, such as those containing meats for example.

Heretofore, and particularly in chain stores and socalled super markets where large volumes of merchandise must be prepared daily for customer selection, the most advanced practice has been to place the product in predetermined quantities, portions, or cuts, on a pre-wrap table, from which it is moved by hand to an adjacent automatic wrapper, and thence passes by way of a conveyor or the like to a scale, which is electrically connected with a computer, which issues labels bearing the weight of the product, the selling price per pound, and usually in the middle in the largest gures, the price of the immediate package involved. At this point, another operator grasps the package, inverts it so that its top will face downwardly, and presses it on the label which has been heated as it descends, adhesive side up from the computer onto a labeling table or, other appropriate surface. Other variations of -this procedure may be followed, but in any event, a separate operator is now required to place the label on the package.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved label applying mechanism.

Another object of this invention is to provide label applying mechanism in which a transfer arm transports a label to an article while heating heat sensitive adhesive on the label with second means to press and secure the label to the article, and means for operating both the transfer arm and presser means to operate effectively with any height article.

These and other objects made apparent during the further progress of this specification are accomplished by means of the instant invention, a full and complete understanding of which is facilitated by reference to the drawings herein, in which:

FIG. 1 is a rear view of said automatic labeling machine;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the device;

FIG. 3 is a side view thereof;

FIG. 3a is an enlarged view of that part of FIG. 3 which includes parts 27, 28, 33, 32 and 31;

FIG. 3b is an enlarged view similar to FIG. 3a, but taken from the rear;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged top plan view of the label chute of the machine;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the structure of FIG. 4, taken along the line 5 5 thereof, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram of the electrical components.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like elements throughout, 10 represents a horizontal bed supported by angle elements 11 from beneath and conforming to its periphery, a vertical main supporting element 12 being appropriately atxed or mounted to elements 11.

Suitable legs or other supporting media 13 may be positioned under bed 10, and a diagonally extending cross member 14 having a resting and connecting plate 15 extends across and upwardly from the rear of the machine frame.

3,142,605 Patented July 28, 1964 ICC Attached to the outside or rear of plate 12 are four guides 16, which contain and direct two vertical slides 17, which slides are joined to form an integral moveable part by angle member 18.

An air cylinder 19 having a piston 20 is anchored to Yvertical frame member 12, and normally forces the two slides 17 upwardly by pressure against angle member 18. When the piston is retracted, two coil springs 21 pull the slides and associated structure, downwardly, as will be explained in detail hereafter.

To either side of guides 16 are two pairs of ways 22, which are held in proper spaced relationship to each other and fastened to the machine frame by two pairs of angle members 23. Two small bearings 24 operate vertically between ways 22, and a shaft 25, operates in and between said bearings. Fixedly mounted on shaft 25 are two gears 26, which gears in turn mesh with two racks 27, only one of which is securely anchored to each of the slides 17, at the top of which slides are affixed angle members 28 which carry adjusting screws 29.

At the center of shaft 25 and pinned thereto is a forked transfer arm 30, which is an important part of the instant invention in that it takes labels in orderly sequence from a computer which is not disclosed in the drawing, and aiiixes or transfers such to packages of merchandise,

" as will be described hereafter.

To angle member 18 is fastened a cross arm 31, which extends between the pairs of ways 22; and between 31 and bearings 24 are compression springs 32, which normally force the bearings upwardly. At the top of ways 22 are two cross pieces 33, which support adjusting screws 34 in operative position.

Adjacent the labeling mechanism just described, and so positioned as to act directly upon a package initially labeled thereby is an ironing or smoothing assembly consisting of a plunger 35 operating vertically in bearings 36 which are mounted on plate 12, and at the top of this plunger and extending angularly therefrom so as to register with the package is an arm 37 to which is secured a tool 38 preferably formed of sponge rubber, and which if desired, may have therein a plurality of spring loaded plungers 39.

Also anchored to plate 12 is a reversible air cylinder 40 having a piston 41 connecting with plunger 35 through a link 42. A coil spring 43 runs from link 42 to an anchoring element 44 adjacent the lower portion of the machine frame, and a micro-switch 45 or other actuating mechanism may be positioned at a point approximating the lowermost travel of piston 41.

Attention is now directed to arm 30, which is forked at one end as at 46 in a sufficient width to contain and handle conventional food labels, a plate 46a being attached to the bottom of said fork, and fastened to said plate is a heating element 47 which may be thicker in the order of /lth" than the plate itself. Element 47 heats labels received from the computer and puts such in condition to be readily attached to packages as will be explained more in detail hereafter. Pivoted on the top-side of the fork is a thin generally square element 48 with an open interior, which has limited movement through pivotal points 49, and clears the heating element on all sides. A plate 50 is fastened to plate 15 and to a label chute 51; and affixed to opposite sides of the plate 15 are tapered pins 52, which extend upwardly in such a manner as to hold element 48 slightly ajar or open when arm 30 is in a resting position, thereby permitting the feeding of labels 53 from the chute into the heating and holding mechanism. As the arm 30 rises, the pivoted U-shaped element closes, both through gravity and the action of a small flat spring 54 bearing against element 48.

Label chute 51, which connects directly with and is fed by a computer as has been described heretofore, is provided with an off-set corner 55, and oppositely disposed downwardly tapering surface 56 for the purpose of turning labels 5 through an angle of ninety degrees before they are fed to arm 30 and associated structure, this being a desirable and even necessary operation in the working of the machine. As shown by the drawings, FIG. 4, this is accomplished simply and easily, the label merely hitting the corner 55 on its way down and thereby being pivoted to the right and caught at the proper time on slope 56 to be guided into the labeling mechanism on the desired plane.

The operation of the instant labeling machine is as follows: A package. 57 of wrapped material, such as meat for example, is deposited, mechanically or otherwise, on bed 10, after being on the computer-connected scale about three seconds, and thereby energizes a micro-switch or other control element 58, which through conventional solenoid valve means as suggested by 59 and having coils 19a and 19b and lines 59a and 591), causes air cylinder 19 to move piston 20 downwardly. During this time, springs 32 press bearings 24 upwardly against adjusting screws 34. As the piston is retracted, springs 21 which are under tension, pull the assembly, consisting of angle 18, cross arm 31, slides 1'7 with connected racks 27, and stop angles 2S with adjusting screws 29; downwardly. While shaft 25 is held at this time in its normal horizontal position by springs 32, racks 27 in conjunction with gears 26, cause it and attached arm 30, to rotate counterclockwise (FIG. 3), which action continues until the arm has assumed a horizontal position directly over the package, a label having been deposited adjacent the forked end of said arm as described heretofore; said position being determined by adjusting screws 29 contacting the shaft.

As the assembly continues downwardly, screws 29 are moved and force the shaft and hence bearings 24 in the same downward direction, which movement is stopped when the arm contacts the package and ailixes the label. Piston 20 continues however to the bottom of its stroke, at which point cross-arm 31 contacts a microswitch 60 which energizes the cylinder to return the assembly and hence arm 30 to the original position, a micro-switch 61 at this point being engaged by cross-arm 31 to actuate the smoothing mechanism by releasing cylinder 40 and hence piston 41 from pressure by operation of solenoid valve 40a, whereupon tensioned coil spring 43 drives plunger 35. The plunger 35, operating through link 42, moves pressing tool 38 downwardly and against the label 53 on package 57, thereby firmly and thoroughly afiixng such in place. Upon reaching the end of its stroke, the piston is subjected to pressure by contact with final microswitch 45 and returns the presser assembly to initial raised position; the entire labeling and smoothing operations can be automatically repeated by the placing by mechanical means or otherwise, of another package on bed 10, which serves to push off the first package to a waiting conveyor or other carrying means, actuate the initial switch, and complete another cycle.

The foregoing is possibly better visualized by reference to FIG. 6, of the drawings, which is a circuit diagram of the electrical components including switches, solenoids, and the circuit to the heater.

Two air cylinders are employed in the arrangement illustrated herein, although it is apparent that any suitable mechanical equivalent, such as cams for example, may be employed, this being a matter of engineering choice. Cylinder 19 moves the transfer arm which picks up a label from the computer, swings it through an arc over the package to be labeled, and then downwardly until the label contacts the package and is fastened thereto. Cylinder 40 then moves a pressure pad directly over the label attached to the package, and then downwardly so that said pad which is capped with a suitable yielding material, presses the entire label more firmly on the package, regardless of the thickness or contour of the package surface. Both cylinders are single acting with spring returns and solenoid valves. An instantaneous electric current opens the valves and admits air to the cylinders.

Another electric impulse closes the valves and allows the air to exhaust as the springs return the pistons.

On the infeed side of the bed of the machine is a normally open micro-switch 58, which is closed by a package being pushed onto the machine. This switch in conjunction with solenoid 19a (FIG. 6), opens the air valve 59 of cylinder 19 to remove pressure from the cylinder, and when the piston reaches the full closed position switch d@ operates the air valve 59 on cylinder 19 through solenoid 191), to supply pressure to the cylinder and return the piston to the extended position.

lust before the piston reaches the full extended position it actuates micro-switch 61, which in turn opens the air valve on cylinder 40 through solenoid 40a to remove air pressure and spring 43 causes the piston to travel downwardly, which in turn actuates micro-switch 45 when it reaches a full extended position, The air valve on cylinder 40 is in turn closed through solenoid 40h, to supply pressure and return the piston to retracted position.

Another cycle of operation as above is set up when a second package is pushed onto the machine, which movement automatically removes the first package from the picture.

It will be noted that the presser is essentially operated through or by coil spring 43, in the same general manner as is the labeling arm by springs 21, this being an important feature of the instant invention in that any crushing or distorting of the packaged product, or even the package itself, is thereby avoided, the spring actions while positive, being relatively gentle as compared to a more rigid machine element action such as would be generated by a positive piston stroke for example.

From the foregoing it is apparent that there has been shown and described herein a new and improved automatic labeling device that is simple in operation, economical to manufacture, facile to service and maintain, safe to operate, and thoroughly adapted for its intended purposes. That it provides a double check on labeling, securing such markers in place in such a manner that they cannot be removed, thereby preventing fraud upon the merchant. That the device may be added to existing equipment now in commercial use, with a minimum of change, and easily eliminates one worker in a time of rising and critical labor costs.

While one form of the machine has been described in considerable detail, it is apparent that no limitation is intended thereby, but on the contrary, certain modiiications, changes, rearrangements, alterations, additions, deletions, and reconstructions, with particular reference to labeling and pressing arm motivation; may be resorted to without departing from the appended claims, which are to be accorded a construction and scope fairly in keeping with the contribution to the art.

We claim:

l. An article labeling apparatus comprising, an article support, a label supply station, and means for transporting a label from the station to the article including, a movably mounted arm, a label gripper at one end of said arm for gripping peripheral parts only of said label to leave the central adhesively coated part thereof exposed, and means for holding the gripper open to receive a label at said station and operable to permit gripper closure away from the station.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 including a hot plate positioned within the space defined by said gripper and mounted on said arm for heating a label.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim l including means yieldably urged toward an article after a label is applied to the article to press the label on the article.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 'l including pivotal mounting means for said arm, a chute at said station for delivering a label to said gripper with the adhesive side up, and means for pivoting said arm to carry the label to the article with the adhesive side down.

5. Mechanism for applying a label with heat-sensitive adhesive to an article comprising, a bed for receiving an article to be labeled, a label supply station, a transfer arm rotatable between said label supply station and the bed for transferring a label to an article, means on said arm for receiving a label from the label supply station with the adhesive side up and for holding a label on said arm during transfer, means on said arm for beating a label during transfer thereof, means for moving said transfer arm from the label supply station to the bed including yieldable drive connections whereby the arm moves only a sufficient distance to engage a label on the article, pressure means normally positioned above the bed, and yieldable means operable to move the pressure means rmly against the label and article to secure the label on the article.

6. Mechanism for applying a label with heat-sensitive adhesive to an article comprising, a bed for receiving an article to be labeled, a label supply station, a transfer arm,

means on said arm for receiving a label from the label supply station with the adhesive side up and for holding a label on said arm during transfer, means mounting said transfer arm for rotation about a generally horizontal axis to invert said label to place the adhesive side down, means on said arm for heating a label during transfer thereof, means for rotating said transfer arm about said axis from the label supply station to a position over the bed, means moving the arm downwardly only a suicient distance to engage a label on the article, pressure means normally positioned above the bed, and yieldable means operable to move the pressure means rmly against the label and article to secure the label on the article.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,300,185 Von Hofe Oct. 27, 1942 2,597,431 Beck May 20, 1952 2,602,560 Paugh July 8, 1952 2,921,780 Allen Jan. 16, 1960 2,948,466 Allen et al. Aug. 9, 1960 

1. AN ARTICLE LABELING APPARATUS COMPRISING, AN ARTICLE SUPPORT, A LABEL SUPPLY STATION, AND MEANS FOR TRANSPORTING A LABEL FROM THE STATION TO THE ARTICLE INCLUDING, A MOVABLY MOUNTED ARM, A LABEL GRIPPER AT ONE END OF SAID ARM FOR GRIPPING PERIPHERAL PARTS ONLY OF SAID LABEL TO LEAVE THE CENTRAL ADHESIVELY COATED PART THEREOF EXPOSED, AND MEANS FOR HOLDING THE GRIPPER OPEN TO RECEIVE A LABEL AT SAID STATION AND OPERABLE TO PERMIT GRIPPER CLOSURE AWAY FROM THE STATION.
 3. AN APPARATUS AS DEFINED IN CLAIM 1 INCLUDING MEANS YIELDABLY URGED TOWARD AN ARTICLE AFTER A LABEL IS APPLIED TO THE ARTICLE TO PRESS THE LABEL ON THE ARTICLE. 